u/Team_TapScore

Always nice to see us mentioned in articles on water filtration. We always say 'Test before you treat', but with RV campers that travel there isn't really a great option for water testing that is both fast and accurate, especially for PFAS.

https://www.rvtravel.com/how-can-i-test-the-campground-water-for-forever-chemicals/

If you do decide to test your tap water for PFAS, here are the kits and methods to consider:
https://mytapscore.com/collections/pfas-tests-for-drinking-water

This guide covers how to test treated water that comes from a public utility, but not private well water. You could call it municipal water, or sometimes just 'city water'.

Learning what contaminants are in your water is a crucial step towards finding the right water filter or treatment for your home.

Disclaimer: There is so much to say about tap water quality and filtration. I'm going to update this guide as I know there are more details to cover, including more on certifications of labs, test strips and other DIY tests, federal benchmarks (MCL, etc), but Reddit only allows for posts of a certain length. If you have particular questions on tap water, drop them in the comments below.

But why do I need to test my water at home? Doesn't my utility test it for me?

Your water utility continually tests the water and releases a report once a year*. This document, called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), is made available for free. However, public water reports might not show everything in your tap.

Here's what won't show up on the CCR:

• contamination from old or broken piping and plumbing on your property or where you rent
• your actual levels of disinfection byproducts (will change based on your distance to the utility)
• unregulated and emerging contaminants

*Starting 2027 this will be twice a year for utilities serving more than 10,000 people (EPA)

You might also find online tools like EWG's water data base. These can be helpful, but their sources are the same as your water report, with some additional data included. That's still not your tap water quality.

Plumbing on your property is your responsibility.

When should I test my water?

• If you've never tested and live in a house built before 1986
• Before buying and installing a whole house system or any filter
• If you want to know if your water filter is doing its job
• When moving to a new house
• When you have a baby on the way
• After recent service line updates
• Unexplained changes to water quality

What should I test my water for?

The list below is a baseline test panel and based primarily on the most common problems for public US water nationwide.

Most important analytes and categories to test for:

• Metals like lead
• Chlorine and disinfection byproducts
• Minerals and inorganics like fluoride
• Nitrates (especially if in agricultural areas)
• General Properties like hardness and pH

How to test?

Tap water samples should always be tested in a certified laboratory. Do not use test strips or other DIY methods that will give you a false impression of your water's safety.

There are a few exceptions, notably chlorine and pH. For these you can use a DIY test strip.

For everything else you need a certified, or accredited, lab. Some utilities will offer free testing for lead in areas where it's prevalent.

Comprehensive testing

For a comprehensive test you can test through Tap Score. Instead of driving to the lab and trying to pick the right test panel, Tap Score handles everything, from sampling to interpreting the final lab results. And Tap Score does not sell treatment or take commissions, which means you can get expert advice without the upsell.

For public utility water we recommend the Advanced City Water test kit.

This kit is recommended by Wirecutter as the 'best water test for your home' and include the most important contaminants to test for.

Testing is straight forward; your kit arrives with everything you need; sampling materials, instructions, chain of custody details, and a prepaid shipping label.

Follow the sampling instructions carefully and ship at the recommended time. Tap Score reports are interactive and include detailed overviews of what's found and how it can be treated.

Testing your water in a certified lab is easy.

If you consider a testing service, always consider these questions:

1. Do they include shipping to lab or is it an extra fee?
2. If they do not include shipping to lab; do you have to drive the sample there yourself?
3. Does the test include enough or an inflated number of analytes? It's not the number of analytes that matter, but testing for the ones that are right for your water.
4. Can you sample yourself or do they send someone to do it for you? The latter might include a sales pitch.
5. Is the testing service from a treatment professional that owns the lab report? This can prevent you from sharing the report around for quotes later on.
6. Is the provider a WQA member?
7. Is the lab certified or state-accredited for the contaminants you will test for?
8. Does the lab analysis include an interpretation of your results?

Additional testing
Once you've tested your water for the most important analytes mentioned above you can also consider other contaminants. Or you can test them at the same time.

PFAS
Some CCRs will have PFAS results included. If not, we recommend method EPA 533 or EPA 537.1 for testing. PFAS compounds are more likely to be present if you live near a military base, landfill, airport or other location with heavy use of firefighting foam. Heavy industrial activity near where you live can also be a concern.

Test for PFAS

Bacteria and microorganisms

Water from a public utility is disinfected and tested regularly to ensure it's safe to drink. You'll get a notice from the utility if something changes. However, if you have a valid reason to believe there's bacterial contamination in your water, start with a basic Coliform and E. coli test. These are cheap and easy to do. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully when sampling.

Test for Coliform & E. coli

Talk to the Tap Score experts here or give us a call: 510-485-9396